GM's Journal - April 1892
Friday 1st April Carstairs invites Watson to join him and Introduces him to the Spirit of Moriarty, at the Doctors insistance, he leaves Holmes in his care, in order that Carstairs himself may rest and recuperate from his continuing injuries. Saturday 2nd April, 1892 - Punch and Judy Belladonna Grafts the fingers of the man dubbed "The Soul Devourer" from the Umbral Rooms episode onto Rig, in the hopes that the Soul Devourer's time-manipulating swiftness will pass to Rig. The surgery is a success, but Rig develops an unstoppable urge to gamble. Morag and Reverend Steel research puppets in the occult and myths. Sir Robert buys Garvin and new suit and they search London for the Puppeteer. Sir Robert makes a spectacle of himself by declaring publically that the puppets are working themselves! Sunday 3rd April, 1892 While the rest go to Church, Sir Robert and Rig spar. Rig takes things a little too far when struck by Sir Robert, flying into a berserk rage, and is stopped by Belladonna smashing a vase over his head. Later that evening Sir Robert in his vigilante guise searches the sewers of London. Monday 4th April, 1892 The Punch and Judy man is finally hunted down. It transpires that it is, in fact, the puppet of Mr. Punch that is 'running the show'. In a battle in the sewers, the puppets are defeated. Rev, Steele gives the puppeteer money to re-start his life, and discovers that the Mr. Punch doll was originally bought in a pawn shop in Oxford. Morag recieves a telegram from 'Archie' requesting her presence at the Monastery in St. Catherine's Glen ... an atlas is used and it is located. Tuesday 5th April, 1892 The journey to Scotland begins, travelling via Oxford it is discovered that the Pawn shop where Mr. Punch was supposedly bought, never existed. Wednesday 6th April - Friday 8th April, 1892 - "Archie"/The Torchwood Estate A train journey to Scotland, with stops. Rig breaks a rib in a fist fight brough on by his gambling habits. Rev. Steele recieves a vision of a woman in black on some high and bleak moor. Belladonna aids a gentleman with medical difficulties. Carstairs, 8th April Carstairs, now fully healed, discovers the group has left for Scotland, and follows. Saturday 9th April, 1892 A coach and four is secured to take the group from Blairgowrie to the village of Lair, near St. Catherine's Glen, where there is, apparently, a "Good Inn". On approach to Lair the carriage is attacked by Wolf Men and wrecked! Morag's horse, George, is slain. They walk to the Inn where they arrange for rooms for the next week or so. Sunday 10th April, 1892 After a breakfast of porridge all but Rig attend the local church service. The Vicar invites them to lunch with him and his wife, and they discover that the local monastery has been abandoned for several months. It is also noted that a lot of cattle have been going missing recently and that none of the parishoners from the nearby hamlet of Cray have attended church in the last month. It is intimated that "The people at 'the house'" might know more. Returning to the Inn, where Rig has been gambling, they interview several farmers, discovering that the MacBrydes have suffered fewer losses than the other families in the area, and that they 'protect' their herd with mistletoe. A cart is hired, making use of Sir Robert's deep pockets, and a journey to the Monastery is undertaken. En route they pass through the village of Cray, abandoned, and showing signs of struggle. At the Monastery they investigate the abandoned lodgings, during which a band of Wolfmen attacks! With the threat dispatched, they continue their research, discovering that the monks have been trying to infiltrate 'the house' since a 'great failure' some 13 years ago. Using the Monastery's kitchen as a makeshift lab, Belladonna makes use of the Wolfman corpses to provide Rig with bone stiffening implants, increasing his resilience, but leaving him almost crippled until the surgery wounds heal. The Reverend is highly disturbed by the surgery and the implications that it might hold for Rig's immortal soul. Carstairs, 10th April Carstairs' train is delayed in Yorkshire, due to a damaged section of line. While staying in a nearby village awaiting further transport, he hears rumours of people going missing and decides to investigate. Monday 11th April, 1892 With Rig heavily dosed on Morphine to help overcome the pain from his surgery the previous night, they travel to 'the house'. Upon arrival they find that it is no longer there. The gate is cast to one side at the end of the drive, and while the foundations are present, the house itself is nowhere to be seen. Garvin spots a heavy stone trap-door, and with some effort it is opened, revealing a stairway. Descending, a small underground complex is discovered - a room containing several cabinets of curious, a library and a set of cells. The Cabinets Contained within the cabinets, and taken away, are: *a box, approximately 9"x4"x2" and covered on one side with small buttons, each marked with a strange symbol. *a Silver sphere, 6" in diameter, carved with intricate lines and with a flattened section (1" diameter) that when pressed, causes a terrible screaming sound that can stun those that hear it unexpectedly *a double padlocked chest, with a parcel label attached marked "Return to St. Mary's Cardiff. Not for Use" The Library Contains several books on the occult, and a notable inscription on the bookcase "To protect our Empire against Enemies beyond the Imagination" Research discovers from a journal that an institute was formed here 13 years ago, but Queen Victoria herself, to perform this exact task. In moving the books for transport, Belladonna discovers a small alchemical lab that has been used to extract sap from mistletoe. The Cells The cell corridor is locked from the inside, though Willie claims otherwise, after he has 'examined the lock'. Within the cell corridor there are several cells, most unlocked and open, but three are locked. Belladonna circumvents disaster by noticing the cells have been electrified! A body is recovered from one of the cells, surrounded by his own excrement, and several empty bottles, labelled "Viscum Album" - essence of Mistletoe! The man pulled from the cell is delirious, and when taken into the open, is recognised by Mrs. MacTannon - it can be none other than 'Archie' himself Sir Robert notes that tonight is the first night of the Full Moon, and realising that they do not have enough daylight to make it back to the village of Lair, they decide to spend a second night in the Monastery. Upon arrival, Willie notes that the dormitory rooms (which they did not use the previous evening) have been slept in recently - is it possible that the monks are, in fact, the wolfmen? Relocating to the Church, as it may be more defensible, Willie and Belladonna mark the windows and doors with Mistletoe, on the reccomendation of Mrs. MacTannon. Archie is left, bound in case he might 'turn' in a cleared area of floor to recover, while Sir Robert, Rig, The Reverend and Mrs. MacTannon explore the catacombs beneath the Monastery. Sir Robert takes a Sword and Shield from one of the corpses, much to the chagrin of the Reverend. Rig steals a ring from another grave under the cover of this argument. As the Argument erupts below ground, a shaft of moonlight shines through a window and bathes Archie and causes a transformation, breaking him from his bonds. He launches to the attack, but seems to be fighting with his new, bestial, nature and his attacks are not as earnest as they might otherwise be. Soon, more wolfmen join the fray and a general melee erupts. Archie eventually flees, and the remaining Wolfmen are defeated, but not before Archie regains enough control to ask Mrs MacTannon to "Help Me ... Please ..." The Reverend is severely injured, his left arm little more than pulp, and many others are in a bad state after the battle. Belladonna provided pain relief with Morphine, and then amputates the Reverend's arm, lest it cause a poison in the blood that could kill him. In spite of his pain, the Reverend is able to call on the power of God to heal his friends, but then drops into a melancholy state. They sleep, suffering deep and fitful dreams. During the night, Willie's curiousity gets the better of him and he picks the locks on the double padlocked box, finding inside a single, left handed metal gauntlett. It fits him well, when he tries it, and gives a strange, but curiously pleasant, tingling sensation. He hides it about his person, and replaces the contents of the box with a gauntlett from the knight entombed in the catacombs below. . Tuesday 12th April - Tuesday 3rd May, 1892 Belladonna insists that Rig rest in Scotland until he has fully recovered from his surgery and the majority of the group agree, for their own reasons, to stay with him. The Reverend, however, insists on leaving, and returns to his home in Sandford to better come to terms with the loss of his arm, while Sir Robert makes his way back to London - being so long away from the social scene could impact upon his societal contacts. Garvin spends some time wandering the Highlands 'experimenting' with his new-found gauntlett, sparking thoughts in the minds of both Belladonna and Mrs. MacTannon that he might have been infected by the Wolfmen. They resolve to test the theory using Mistletoe and cause him some stomach upset, but little else. It would appear he has not been infected. When Rig is declared fully recovered, they make their return to London, passing through Manchester on the way, where Garvin encounters and aids a group of Rippers from that city. In thanks for his aid, they gift him with a pair of Silver Ripper Claws! Belladonna also acquires new property on the journey, winning a complete set of luggage in a competition in Crewe. Carstairs' actions during this time After three days searching the Yorkshire Moors, Carstairs comes accross a seemingly abandoned farm. Investigating and finding recent blood spatters he resolves to discover more, but is then struck over the back of the head and everything goes dark. For some time he is incarcerated in a cellar, fed and watered, and overhears conversations about a feast and a sacrifice. Losing track of time, he escapes eventually, burning down the farm in the process. Eventually making his way back to civilisation, he returns to London. Next Page Contents